Whales, dolphins and sunshine during third expedition
The team on board the third expedition of the field season were treated to whales, dolphins and sunshine! Over 200 marine mammals were recorded during the week-long live-aboard expedition monitoring Hebridean seas. Read all about their experiences here…
Day 1
So much interesting information to take in on the first day: citizen science training, marine mammals, personal safety, daily routines - all presented really clearly by the lovely crew with lots of opportunities to ask questions and support during the first survey sailing.
CHALLENGES (AND REWARDS) OF DAY ONE:
Choosing between the multiple breakfast options (easy solution: have a bit of everything; and remember that there's second breakfast too!).
Remembering the full set of "oilies", hat, gloves (waterproof if possible), life jackets, safety tethers and binoculars every time we set foot above deck (confession: one us forgot binoculars for a watch on deck ).
Simultaneously surveying the 90 degree quadrant for marine mammals, remaining upright and on board while consuming sweet potato soup with croutons for lunch on the go.
Not getting distracted by the stunning scenery and views from Tobermory and around the coast of Ardnamurchan with views of the Isles of Muck and Eigg.
Experiencing the first afternoon sailing and on board tasks in the wettest weather for some time (compensated with a beautiful rainbow over remote Kentra Bay where we moored for the night) with everyone still in good humour at the end of it and looking forward to the next day!
DAY 2
The sky cleared overnight and we woke to spectacular views over glassy seas, with early risers treated to a sighting of an otter (and an unexpected yogi with her mat out on top of the cabin). We started the day with promising weather, setting sail at about 9 o'clock for our first full day. It soon became overcast but with so many miles ahead our spirits were very high. Our first sighting was a harbour porpoise, just the dart of a fin as we came around the Small Isles. Next sighting, as we followed the outline of Skye, was a minke whale! A fleeting glimpse of its back, but a good start for day two. Becky served the most amazing lunch of Mediterranean Pasta with olives and courgette, so welcome and delicious. Seals were also spotted in the afternoon and the weather gradually improved throughout the day.
We also had success with the hydrophone as the first dolphin clicks and whistles were heard! Snapping shrimps were always in the background which we found very amusing too.
Our day ended at anchor in Gesto Bay - what a delight to see and hear lambs by the shore!
BLOGGERS HIGHLIGHTS:
Anchoring off beautiful Skye.
Hearing a dolphin on the hydrophone.
The peaceful blissful stretch where we were able to turn the engine off and travel by sail power alone, hearing nothing but the sea and the birds.
LESSONS LEARNED:
How to confidently and accurately call out our sightings.
Cheap gardening gloves are proving better than the expensive outdoor "waterproof all weather gloves"!!
MacLeod’s Maidens, off the Isle of Skye
DAY 3
We awoke to a calm, sunny morning. Very welcome! After breakfast, we got off to a prompt start and were "on effort " by 8.00 am. We headed westwards from Skye, with the easterly wind breeze behind us, out into the Sea of the Hebridean, with great views of the Cuillins, Rum, and the other Small Isles. With South Uist in view ahead, we diverted south for a short while, before turning back east towards our evening destination - Canna.
Sighting conditions were very good for much of the day. The highlight was spotting a sociable group of around 18 common dolphins, including a very young calf. They playfully swam alongside Silurian for quite a while before heading off. We also had sightings of two shy minke whales, harbour porpoise and a few seals.
We arrived at a secluded, sheltered spot off Canna, close to the small adjacent island of Sanday. Once the crew had Silurian safely anchored, and all chores were completed, (apart from the blog!), we were ferried ashore in the dinghy, to a lovely sandy beach. Two or three were brave enough to go for a swim! The day was brilliantly capped off with another lovely evening meal.
DAY 4
The planned early start got earlier, when the anchor alarm pinged sometime after 5am signalling a change in wind direction. One of us discovered that the anchor chain is stored in a cupboard in her cabin! After some clanking and banging, order was restored.
We left our stunning mooring on Canna after an early breakfast accompanied by a pod of bow-riding bottlenose dolphins leaping and circling Silurian. Later that morning, our third pod of dolphins in 24 hours joined us, followed by a couple of individual dolphins. A morning of dolphin heaven!
As we approached Barra (our final destination for the day) we were interrupted by a close encounter with a pink buoy which attached itself to our boat. More clanking and banging, use of an innovative tool and we were freed. After a fantastic day sailing across the Sea of the Hebrides, wonderful dolphin sightings and hard work by the crew, we moored in Castlebay in stunning sunshine and took advantage of the marina showers!
The weather ranged from 'fresh' to warm and sunny to interestingly roly(?) to bakingly hot and back to a howling but warm wind at the end of the day. The food was excellent as ever and included falafel wraps and stir fry.
DAY 5
Our most incredible day of sightings so far! Fairly early in the day we met an inquisitive group of seven short beaked common dolphins who spent some time bow-riding and playing. As we continued our journey through the Sea of the Hebrides, we got brief visits from another pair and then a group of four. Then, a distant sighting - was that a splash? Or was it a blow? Could it be a whale? Common dolphins suddenly appeared around us in all directions, up to 40 of them! What a wonderful treat! Then, our suspicions were proven right ‐ not one, not two, but three minke whales! The minkes toyed with us multiple times by vanishing for just long enough that we would decide to move on and return to our survey, then they would reappear. When we finally did leave them, we got a flyby visit from another pair of common dolphins, barrelling through the ocean at great speed! And then, another minke! And, over there, another! And another! A veritable cetacean soup.
TOTALS:
Common dolphins: 57
Minke whales: 7
We spent the early evening anchored off the uninhabited island of Gunna (which many of us didn't know existed) while waiting for the wind to change. Just enough time to squeeze in a quick visit to shore for beautiful golden sands, clear turquoise water and a different perspective of Silurian. Then, a sunset cruise on a perfect mirror like sea, before we anchored up for the night on the neighbouring Isle of Coll.
DAY 6
The overnight mooring at Coll (Feel Bay) proved to be a little bit "roly " as we got into our bunks, but fortunately the swell soon subsided. We awoke to a lovely, calm morning eager to see if yesterday's tally of sightings could be matched.
The plan for the day was to head north west back towards the Small Isles. The weather was fair and sighting conditions were excellent, with a calm sea state. On reaching the Hawes Bank area, not far from Coll, we hit another cetacean bonanza!
In that area, we saw 18 minkes and about 80 common dolphins! The hydrophone gave us an amazing glimpse into the dolphins' array of clicks and whistles.
Slightly stunned by this abundance, we continued our journey to the Isle of Muck in increasingly surreal, calm conditions. We anchored for the evening in Gallanach Bay. We had a brief excursion ashore before returning to Silurian for another delicious dinner.
During the expeditions the team surveyed 491.9 km of Hebridean waters, recording a grand total of 244 marine mammals.
A HUGE THANK YOU TO OUR TEAM OF CITIZEN SCIENTISTS WHO JOINED THIS EXPEDITION: AMANDA, CHARLOTTE, JANE, MARTIN, NICOLA AND SIMON.
